Because Catoosa County commissioners declared the condition of Mount Pisgah Road in Ringgold an emergency, the reconstruction on this road has been put on the fast track.

This road was damaged in the Sept. 20 flood. It was already cracked and has steadily eroded and crumbled, forming a hole in the side of the road.

County attorney Chad Young said in order for the 30-day bidding period required by the state to be expedited, the commissioners had to declare the road in need of immediate at-tention.

This declaration means the bidding period will be seven days instead of 30

The motion for emergency declaration was approved unanimously during the Board of Commissioners’ regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

The bidding process will be complete on Oct. 14. The project announcement was in the Oct. 7 edition of The Catoosa County News.

Young said Moreland Altobelli Associates Inc. has already begun work on the road and has submitted a proposal to do the engineering.

The contract administration fee is $4,500, with a $45-per-hour charge for an inspector as well as a $300 fee for printing the 10 set of the plans.

A motion to accept the service of Moreland Altobelli Associates Inc. was approved unanimously.

In other business at the Oct. 6 Catoosa County Board of Commissioners meeting:

· The commissioners approved the 2010 budget contract with the Understanding for the Elderly program, Meals on Wheels. No changes were made to the contract, and the program will continue.

· The commissioners approved the purchase of service for a juvenile offenders program grant. The grant is for $5,000. This money can only be used for programs for juvenile offend-ers, such as community service projects and psychological evaluation and testing.

· The commissioners approved a contract amendment for the Meadow Green Sanitary sewer project with Clark Patterson Lee Engineering. The change order increased the cost of the project.

· The commissioners approved for East Tennessee Grading to develop accurate sewer surveys in the West Chickamauga sewer project. This step is required before the county can turn over the project to Fort Oglethorpe. The surveys will cost about $10,000.

· The commissioners approved a $300,000 contract with NABCO Electric Co. for lighting at the Poplar Spring ballfield. The funds will come out of SPLOST money.

· The commissioners approved a change order with Chazler Inc. for the construction of the new fire station. Originally, the county decided to do its own on-site work for this project, but the extra workload from the flood damages has stretched the county’s resources. Chazler Inc. has reinstated its original quote of $40,000 to do the on-site work. The funds for this project will also come from SPLOST funds. The county has already bought some supplies for this project, and Chazler Inc. has decided to deduct the price for the supplies from the $40,000.